French Tank Corps Uniform

French Tank Crewman.

French tank crews wore a distinctive leather jacket in either black (M20) or brown (M35).

They also wore a distinctive badge on their helmets, consisting of a knight's helmet over crossed cannons. Many of the French tanks such as the Char B and Somua 35 were superior to their German counterparts in both armour protection and firepower. However, French tanks suffered from mechanical problems, a limited range and poor logistical support. These issues were compounded by the poor tactical deployment of French tank regiments, which were often split into small formations and allocated in support of infantry units. Tanks used in this way were largely ineffective when confronted with the massed armoured spearheads of the fully-integrated and self-sufficient German Panzer divisions.

This particular crewman wears the earlier M20 jacket and a M35 helmet with a M19 tank crew badge. The chéche (scarf) and M16 pistol holster are also worn.